Miss Columbia 2009, Kelly Ragan, has been busily preparing for the Miss South Carolina competition that is coming up at the end of the month. The final night of competition is July 4. She will be a freshman at Presbyterian College this fall, and graduated with honors and as Student Body President from Lexington High School this month.

Kelly Ragan

Mary Helen Wood of Woolpert recently earned professional accreditation from the Society for Marketing Professional Services as a Certified Professional Services Marketer.

S. Jahue Moore has been presented with a Conservation Leadership award by the Lexington Soil and Water Conservation District.

Southeastern Freight Lines has received a Premier Supplier Award from Eaton Corporation.

McNair Law Firm, P.A. has been recognized by Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business® in its 2009 edition. Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business® ranked McNair's practice areas of corporate/mergers and asquisitions, and real estate as number one and its general commercial litigation practice area as number two in S.C. Rita Bragg Cullum, of Ellis, Lawhorne & Sims, P.A., has graduated as a member of Class II of the Midlands Diversity Leaders Initiative of the Riley Institute at Furman University.

Barry Wynn

Nelson Mul l ins Ri ley & Scarborough has been ranked by The American Health Lawyers Association as having the ninth largest healthcare practice in the United States, a significant jump from its 15th spot in 2008.

Ernest Lawhorne has received the Order of the Silver Crescent from the Governor's Office. The Order of the Silver Crescent is the state's highest award for volunteer and community service.

Tammie King of Insurance Management Group has earned the Registered Employee Benefits Consultant professional designation from The American College, Bryn Mawr, PA. Erin McCaskill has joined First Citizens bank as a relationship manager in West Columbia.

Following nomination by Gov. Mark Sanford and confirmation votes in May by the South Carolina State Senate, three directors have begun new terms on the Santee Cooper Board of Directors. Director Pegg y Pinnel l fills the Berkeley County seat in a term that runs until 2014. Pinnell lives in Moncks Corner and owns a State Farm Insurance agency there. Director W. Leighton Lord III is a new director filling the Second Congressional District seat. His term runs until 2015. Lord lives in Columbia and is a lawyer with the firm of Nexsen Pruet. Di rector Barry Wynn begins a second term appointment to the Fourth Congressional seat. His new term will expire in 2015. He resides in Spartanburg and is president of Colonial Trust Company, an investment management and estate services firm.

W. Leighton Lord III Peggy Pinnell Tammie King Rita Bragg Cullum